Tag: homeless

Dec92019 by Rui CaiNo Comments

Homelessness Aid: More rough sleeping people in London are expected to have a warmer Christmas

Videos played in the church showing their work in previous years | Image Source: Rui Cai A charitable fundraising took place at Elim Full Gospel Chinese Church on Monday. According to Jerry, an organiser of this event, the purpose was to raise money to buy sleeping bags for homeless people on London streets. They intended to help rough sleeping people through the cold weather in December, and as Jerry mentioned before, "to help them enjoy a warm and peaceful Christmas." Organisers came to the venue earlier this morning to set up stalls for different kinds of products that were on sale. “Our church members took ready-made food from home to here, selling it at fairly cheap prices. They also brought used books, cups, jewelry, and CDs, pretty much everything,” said Jerry. Household item

Dec102018 by Barkha Goenka, Cristina Escobar, Orlando Del Maestro, Sara AlboNo Comments

Homelessness: Is contactless the solution?

Breaking News, Charity, economy, Health, Housing, London, London Mayor, News, ReportingWeek1, ReportingWeek2

Despite being one of the richest countries in the world, the United Kingdom faces a growing issue with homelessness. Many charities collect money and support those without a home but unfortunately, they fail to reach everyone in need. Stephen, 55, an ex-serviceman from the armed forces, represents a soundboard for many who have lost faith in charity. He is of the opinion that charities cheat people in the name of donation. “I would love to know where the money goes. But I already know where it goes. It goes for wages and it’s all a con. That is all it is. You’ve got the Royal British Legion. Last year they raised 42 million pounds. But it never went to the ex-servicemen. 75 percent of the people that live on the street are ex-forces. We are in a society now. We’re being lied to.”

Dec32018 by Orlando Del MaestroNo Comments

Big Issue vendors hope contactless payment will bring social as well as financial inclusion

Breaking News

With the rise of electronic payments across the UK and fewer people each month carrying cash on their person, public engagement with the homeless is lowest than it has ever been. Can contactless pay bring back the recognition Big Issue vendors are rapidly losing? The Big Issue has announced it will be trialling contactless payment systems in an effort to boost the income of its homeless vendors and mitigate the effects of a public consciousness that may be shifting away from the importance of giving to the homeless. The current affairs magazine has partnered with technology company iZettle for an 8-week trial across London, Bath, Birmingham, Bristol and Nottingham. If the plans are successful, they will be rolled out across the country. Buyers of the Big Issue will no longer ...

Nov202017 by Lavanya SinghNo Comments

‘Next Meal’ battling homelessness in London one click at a time

Food, Housing

Bleak, overcast days, cold winds, unrelenting rain; winter in London is hard. It’s even harder when you’re huddled on pavements with rolled up sleeping bags, old backpacks, and a blanket. It’s a stark, uncomfortable reality for London: 1 in 59 of its residents is homeless. This winter, however, it may just get easier if you have a mobile phone. “It’s a very simple idea and interface,” says Martin Stone, Voluntary Director of the Muswell Hill Soup Kitchen, introducing his new service, Next Meal. “You just have to go online, enter where you are, and you’ll get a list of shelters near you along with the facilities they offer,” he explains. Available both as a website and an app, Next Meal helps homeless people around London find shelters providing food and lodging near them. Last wee

Oct302017 by Alice FacchiniNo Comments

Charity fears homeless women suffer from NHS cuts

Gender, Housing, NHS, Politics

Hospitals, surgeries and shelters are not providing sanitary products for homeless people, despite the huge mobilisation for low income women’s right in the last few years. Women’s services manager for the charity Spires, Pamela Mhlophe, is concerned about the current situation: “In this moment, with NHS cutting down on many services, I don’t think they will tackle this problem too,“ she said to Westminster World. ”Private citizens and companies are helping through donations, but it should be a public issue.” Homeless women are used to living a dangerous life, full of risks, but it becomes much more difficult when they have their period. Besides finding food, a job and a place to stay, they have to look for a private toilet to wash themselves and, most importantly, find access to s

Mar242016 by Charlotte StaleyNo Comments

Shame and sickness on the streets: the state of mental and physical health

Health, Medical

Homelessness has more than doubled since 2010, with over 7,600 sleeping rough in London at some point in 2015. But what are the long-term physical and mental health problems facing our increasing homeless population? A man in dress shoes swears violently at me as he trips, standing heavily on my leg. I sit up straighter in my sleeping bag. Outside Moorgate station, it’s 7.56pm on a bitterly cold Friday evening: my sixth hour of homelessness lies just ahead. Around me, smartly dressed Londoners make their way from stressful city jobs to upmarket cocktail bars. I can hear the chatter of the end of a hard week’s work. Sat with my head down, someone tosses a pound coin into my lap and mutters something about a sandwich. I am not hungry, and I am not homeless. The pound, and any like

Feb212016 by Jordaania AndimaNo Comments

Young adults say they will only visit church if it offers free Internet

Audio, Culture, Listen, Opinion

Prudence Jinga, 30, is sitting in the front row of her church enjoying the service. She has been looking forward to today’s service particularly because she is to join the choir for the first time. But the church is empty. Only a handful of people managed to make it While others need convincing to attend church, Prudence is one of the three in five British adults that goes to church every Sunday, according to an opinion poll by the National Churches Trust. The opinion poll reported 27 per cent of British youth would only visit church gatherings more frequently if they had access to free Wi-Fi. The poll, conducted by ComRes aimed to discover what factors influence church attendance, despite a decline in the number of people going in recent years. It said respondents between t

Dec142015 by Katy ScottNo Comments

Benefit sanctions force homeless to ‘beg, borrow and steal’

News, ReportingWeek2

The withdrawal of benefits has resulted in people losing their homes, relying on food banks and resorting to survival crimes, according to new research by Crisis. In a recent report titled ‘Homeless people’s experiences of welfare conditionality and benefit sanctions’ the national charity explored the impact of benefit sanctions on the most vulnerable in society. The report is based on a survey of 1013 people from homeless hostels and day centres across 21 cities. The study made use of research from Sheffield Hallam University. It found that sanctions had a series of ‘unintended’ impacts on respondents’ lives, including debt, hunger, strained relationships, and mental and physical health problems. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith said the report